Anaphylaxis

Description

Anaphylaxis is a severe, potentially life-threatening allergic reaction. It can occur within seconds or minutes of exposure to something you're allergic to, such as peanuts or bee stings.

Anaphylaxis causes the immune system to release a flood of chemicals that can cause you to go into shock — blood pressure drops suddenly and your airways narrow, blocking breathing. Signs and symptoms include a rapid, weak pulse; a skin rash; and nausea and vomiting. Common triggers incinclude certain foods, some medications, insect venom and latex.

Anaphylaxis requires an injection of epinephrine and a follow-up visit to an emergency room. If you do not have epinephrine, you need to go to an emergency room immediately. If anaphylaxis is not tis reated immediately, can be fatal.

Symptoms

Anaphylaxis symptoms usually appear within minutes of exposure to an allergen. Sometimes, however, anaphylaxis can occur in a half-hour or more after exposure. In rare cases, anaphylaxis may be delayed for hours. Signs and symptoms include:

  • Skin reactions, including hives and itching and flushed or pale skin
  • Low blood pressure (hypotension)
  • Constriction of the airways and a swollen tongue or throat, which can cause wheezing and trouble breathing
  • A rapid and weak pulse
  • Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea
  • Dizziness or fainting

When to see a doctor

Get emergency medical help if you, your child or someone you are with has a severe allergic reaction. Do not wait to see if the symptoms disappear.

If you have an attack and carry an auto-injector of epinephrine, manage immediately. Even if symptoms improve after the injection, you still have to go to an emergency room to make sure that the symptoms do not recur, even without further exposure to the allergen. This second reaction is to called anaphylaxis biphasic.

Make an appointment to see your healthcare provider if you or your child has had a severe allergy attack or any signs and symptoms of anaphylaxis in the past.

The diagnosis and the long-term management of anaphylaxis are complicated, so that you probably you need to see a doctor who specializes in allergies and immunology.

Causes

The immune system produces antibodies that protect against foreign substances. This is good when a foreign substance is harmful, such as certain bacteria or viruses. But some people's immune systems overreact to substances that normally does not cause an allergic reaction.

Allergy symptoms are generally not life-threatening, but a severe allergic reaction can lead to anaphylaxis. Even if you or your child has had only a mild anaphylactic reaction in the past, there is a risk of more severe anaphylaxis after another, the exposure to the allergy-causing substance.

The most common anaphylaxis triggers in children are food allergies, such as peanuts and tree nuts, fish, shellfish, wheat, soy, sesame and milk. In addition to the allergy to peanuts, nuts, fish, sesame and shellfish, anaphylaxis causes in adults include:

  • Certain medicines, including antibiotics, aspirin and other pain relievers are available without a prescription, and the intravenous (IV) contrast used in some imaging tests
  • Stings of bees, wasps, wasps, hornets and fire ants
  • Latex

Although not common, some people develop anaphylaxis of aerobic exercise, such as running, or even less intense physical activity, such as walking. Eating certain foods before exercise, or the exercise, when the weather is hot, cold or humid place have also been linked to anaphylaxis in some people. Talk with your health care provider about the precautions to take when you exercise.

If you do not know what triggers an allergy attack, certain tests can help identify the allergen. In some cases, the cause of anaphylaxis is not identified (anaphylaxis, idiopathic).

Risk factors

There are not many well-known risk factors for anaphylaxis, but some of the things you may increase the risk include:

  • Previous anaphylaxis. If you have had anaphylaxis once, the risk of having this severe of a reaction increases. Future reactions may be more severe than the initial reaction.
  • Allergies or asthma. People who have any of these conditions are at increased risk of having anaphylaxis.
  • Certain other conditions. These include heart disease, and a spot of accumulation of a certain type of white blood cell (mastocytosis).

Complications

An anaphylactic reaction can be life-threatening — it can stop your breathing, or andour heartbeat.

Prevention

The best way to prevent anaphylaxis is to stay away from substances that cause this severe reaction. Also:

  • Wear a medical alert necklace or a bracelet to indicate that you have an allergy to certain medications or other substances.
  • Keep an emergency kit with prescription available at all times. Your medical professional can advise you on the content. If you have an auto-injector of epinephrine, check the expiration date and make sure you fill the prescription before it expires.
  • Make sure to let all your suppliers to drug reactions that you have had.
  • If you are allergic to insect bites and stings, be careful around them. Wear long-sleeved shirts and pants; do not walk barefoot on the grass; do not use bright colors; do not use perfumes, colognes or scented lotions; and did not drink from open cans of soda in the open air. Keep calm when near an insect bite. Move away slowly and do not slap in the insect.
  • If you have food allergies, please carefully read the labelsof all the food we buy and consume. The manufacturing processes can change, so it is important that you periodically check the labels of the foods you commonly eat. When eating out, ask how each dish is prepared, and find out what ingredients it contains. Even small amounts of food that you are allergic can cause a severe reaction.

If you have food allergies, please carefully read the labels of all the food we buy and consume. The manufacturing processes can change, so it is important that you periodically check the labels of the foods you commonly eat.

When eating out, ask how each dish is prepared, and find out what ingredients it contains. Even small amounts of food that you are allergic can cause a severe reaction.

Be prepared

Even if you are careful, at some point it is likely to be exposed to what you're allergic to. Fortunately, you can respond quickly and effectively to an allergy emergency by knowing the signs and symptoms of an anaphylactic reaction and to have a plan to quickly treat the symptoms.

Anaphylaxis

Diagnosis

Your doctor may ask you questions about previous allergic reactions, including if you has reacted to:

  • Certain foods
  • Drugs
  • Latex
  • Insect bites

To help confirm the diagnosis:

  • It is given a blood test to measure the amount of an enzyme (tryptase) that can be elevated up to three hours after anaphylaxis
  • You could be a test of allergy with skin tests or blood tests to help determine the trigger

Many conditions have similar signs and symptoms to anaphylaxis. Your doctor may want to rule out other conditions.

Treatment

During an attack, anaphylactic, you could receive cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) if you stop breathing or your heart stops beating. May also give you medications, including:

  • Epinephrine (adrenaline) to reduce the body's allergic response
  • Oxygen, for helping meor breathe
  • Intravenous (IV) antihistamines and cortisone to reduce the inflammation of the air passages and improve breathing
  • A beta-agonist (albuterol) to relieve respiratory symptoms

What to do in case of an emergency

If you're with someone that is having an allergic reaction and shows signs of shock, act quickly. Look pale, cold and clammy skin; a weak, rapid pulse, difficulty breathing, confusion and loss of consciousness. Do the following immediately:

  • Call 911 or emergency medical help.
  • The use of an epinephrine autoinjector, if available, by clicking on the person of his thigh.
  • Make sure that the person is lying down and elevating the legs.
  • Check the person's pulse and breathing and, if necessary, administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) or other first-aid measures.

Using an injector

Many people at risk of anaphylaxis carry an injector. This device is a combination of syringe and concealed needle that injects a single dose of medication when pressed against the thigh. Replace epinephrine prior to its expiration date, or might not operate correctly.

The use of an injector right away, you can keep the anaphylaxis worse and could save your life. Make sure that you know how to use the injector. Also, make sure that the people closest to you know how to use it.

The long-term treatment

If insect bites trigger an anaphylactic reaction, a series of allergy shots (immunotherapy) can reduce the body's allergic response and prevent a severe reaction in the future.

Unfortunately, in most other cases, there is no way to treat the underlying immune system condition that may lead to anaphylaxis. But you can take steps to prevent an attack in the future and to be prepared in case one occurs.

  • Try to stay away from your allergy.
  • Self-administered epinephrine. During an attack, anaphylactic, you can give yourself the medicine by means of an injector.

Coping and support

To have a potentially dangerous reaction is very scary, if this happens to you, other people close to you or your child. The development of an anaphylaxis emergency action plan can help to put your mind at ease.

Work with your own or your child's provider to develop this written, step-by-step plan of what to do in case of a reaction. Then share the plan with the teachers, babysitters and other caregivers.

If your child has a severe allergy or have had aaphylaxis, talk with the school nurse and teachers to find out what plans they have to deal with an emergency. Make sure that the school officials have an injector.

Symptoms and treatment of Anaphylaxis